Engineers make progress in Fukushima crisis

Engineers have connected power cables to all six reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the first step to restarting cooling systems.

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ALI MOORE, PRESENTER: Engineers in Japan have connected power cables to all six reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The TEPCO power company says it's the first step towards restarting the cooling systems in the reactors.

Earlier today, a group of workers was temporarily evacuated from reactor number three after grey smoke was seen rising from the plant. Japanese authorities are still investigating the cause of the smoke.

Japan's prime minister, Naoto Kan, says the country was making slow but steady progress in dealing with the crisis. But the discovery of radiation-tainted vegetables and tap water is adding to public fears about contaminated food and drink.

It's now feared the death toll from the quake and tsunami could top 15,000 people.

All Australian citizens listed as missing in Japan have now been accounted for.